1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical terminals for making insulation displacement connections to wires, and more particularly to an improved terminal providing more than a single pair of insulation displacement slots in a very compact configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Insulation displacement terminals are widely used to make electrical connections with insulation clad wires because the step of removing insulation from the conductor prior to termination of the wire is eliminated. Many different types of insulation displacement terminals have been employed in the past. In one configuration, called an in-line terminal, a wire is terminated with its axis aligned with the major axis of the terminal providing a trim configuration useful where in-line wire exit from a connector is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,331 discloses an insulation displacement terminal with a base, a pair of opposed sidewalls, and end portions extending toward one another to define a pair of spaced-apart insulation displacement slots between the end portions. With this type of terminal, an undesirably large amount of space is required if more than a single pair of insulation displacement slots are needed. For example, more than one pair of slots may be useful for connecting more than a single wire to the terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,872 discloses a contact with U-shaped members formed at either side of a base portion. The legs of the U-shaped members extend across or nearly across the width of the base portion and insulation displacement slots are provided in two of the legs rather than being defined between adjacent legs. Two pairs of slots, for a total of four, could be provided in this contact configuration, but this would require a terminal having substantial axial length.
Dutch Pat. No. 67,298 issued Feb. 15, 1951 discloses at FIG. 9 a terminal having three insulation displacement slots in a linear array. One slot of a narrow configuration receives a narrow conductor 29, while the other slots are wider and receive a heavy gauge conductor cable 26. Ribs forming the narrow slot are lower than the remaining ribs so that the larger conductor 26 may be received above the narrower conductor 29 without entering the narrower slot.